The simple things in life are often the most important. There is a delightfully simple story in the  gospels about Jesus walking along the seashore. He sees some men in a fishing boat. It is a scene of peace and tranquillity. He calls out to them: 'Come with me and I will show you a different sort of fishing'. A simple invitation: ‘Follow me'.

We do not know whether there was any discussion. All we know is that the two fishermen followed him. They left their boat on the shore and walked with him along the beach into the greatest adventure of their lives. In that moment of decision, with the sun glistening on the sea, they said yes. And nothing was ever the same again!

As fishermen they had often cast off and sailed into the unknown, never knowing what the weather might do or whether they would catch anything. Now they were casting off and walking into the unknown. They did not know it, but the future would bring them laughter and pain - and it would bring death. All they knew at that moment was that they were embarking on an adventure.

We are now approaching the 6 week period of Lent leading up to the events of Jesus' death and resurrection. We can use this time, or it can just pass us by - the choice is ours.

The Lenten period is designed to enable us to make time to examine ourselves before God and to help us to develop and grow in our Christian faith. If we choose to use it in this way then like those fishermen, and the other disciples who were to walk with them, we too are being invited to set out on an adventure. We are being called by the same person who stood on the seashore and called them. We are being gently challenged to make that same simple decision. We are being invited to take part in a great adventure and 1 hope that our Lenten series and course will help us in this.

Each Sunday during Lent, at both our 8.00am and 10.00am services (including Connections), we will be focusing upon a different aspect of Christ's life beginning on 3rd February. Wednesday 6th February is Ash Wednesday and we will have our usual Holy Communion services at 10.00am at St. Paul's and 8.00pm at St. Mary's. Then our Lent course will go deeper into each aspect of Christ's life every subsequent Wednesday at 11.00am at St. Paul's and at 8.00pm at St. Mary's.

Sunday 3rd February   'Whom do people say Jesus is?'

Sunday 10th and Wednesday 13th February   'Jesus - the Divine'

 Sunday 17th and Wednesday 20th February   'Jesus - the man'

Sunday 24th and Wednesday 27th February   'Jesus - the teacher'

Sunday 2nd and Wednesday 5th March   'Jesus - the Compassionate'

Sunday 9th and Wednesday 12th March   'Jesus - the Miracle Worker'

Sunday 16th March   'Jesus - the Hero'.

I hope this will give us an opportunity to listen, explore and reflect on what God is saying to us.

With warm greetings

                           Angela